The White Sox announced the signing of veteran infielder Mike Moustakas to a minor league deal. He’s in camp as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training. The Boras Corporation client would lock in a $2MM salary if he makes the Opening Day roster, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (X link). The deal contains an additional $2MM in performance incentives.
Moustakas will try to play his way onto an MLB roster for a 14th straight season. The left-handed hitter debuted with the Royals in 2011. He was teammates in Kansas City with Chris Getz, who is now leading baseball operations in Chicago. Moustakas had a strong eight-year run with the Royals, earning a pair of All-Star nods and helping the franchise to its World Series title in 2015.
After two seasons in Milwaukee, he inked a four-year, $64MM free agent deal with the Reds. Cincinnati released him 75% of the way through that contract. Moustakas hit .216/.300/.383 for the Reds, battling heel and calf injuries along the way. Cincinnati ate the final $22MM on his deal last season.
The three-time All-Star inked a minor league contract with the Rockies shortly after his release. He made the Opening Day roster and turned in a solid .270/.360/.435 performance in 47 games. That was enough for the Angels to send a minor league pitcher to Colorado to add Moustakas to a reeling infield mix in the middle of June. He didn’t maintain the offensive pace he’d shown at Coors Field, though. Moustakas hit .236/.256/.371 over 65 contests as the Halos fell out of contention.
Between Colorado and Los Angeles, he finished the season with a .247/.293/.392 line. His 386 plate appearances and 12 home runs were his highest tallies since his 2019 campaign in Milwaukee. While he stayed healthier than he had in the preceding few seasons, it was his third consecutive below-average year. Dating back to the start of 2021, Moustakas is a .227/.291/.372 hitter in nearly 900 plate appearances.
A longtime third baseman, Moustakas saw some action at second base in Milwaukee and early in his Cincinnati tenure. He has barely played the middle infield over the past three seasons. Moustakas split his defensive work almost evenly between the corner infield positions a year ago.
Chicago has Andrew Vaughn and Yoán Moncada penciled in as the corner infield tandem. The latter had a pair of injured list stints related to back soreness last season. The Sox have the light-hitting pairing of Nicky Lopez and Paul DeJong slated for up-the-middle work. Getz recently indicated they viewed improving the middle infield defense as a priority. It seems unlikely Moustakas would get much consideration at second base, but he could battle for a spot as a bench bat who rotates through the corner infield.
The Moose is Loose
Would have been a perfect DH option for the Padres.
Minor league deal.
A minor league deal.
A minor league deal.
So he didn’t want to sign with the Pads?
Did they make him an offer?
He was within your budget Padres.
What’s wrong with this organization?
Come on Padres?!
Not asking for much. 2 million won’t break the bank Pads.
Smh.
Why would they want Moose as a DH? He’s not a particularly good hitter. And as for Moose why would a 3B want to sign a Minor League deal with a team that has a player of Machado’s stature at 3B.
I get you would like to see Pads add some players, but your blanket approach complaining every Minor League signing that happens is unrealistic. Minor League deals players are looking for a situation with best shot at making roster and teams are looking for a player that fits
Maybe Hosmer told Moose of what really goes on in the Padres locker room. Or maybe he sees a bad team like the White Sox as the easiest path to MLB playing time and if he can ball out he can become a trade chip and get another ring.
Yea i think he even could have had a shot with the jays. They only have 1 LHH IF bat, i know moose has fallen off but a minor league deal is a minor league deal
Nicky Lopez is also a LHH IF.
Maybe Getz is doing a favor for an old teammate, because no other team was interested. No guarantee that he makes the team, but he gets the spring to show his stuff.
Wonder what the Sox ask for Sheets would be. Wouldnt mind the Padres inquiring
A low level, non-40 man roster guy or 2. Maybe PTBNL
He holds a bat left-handed, but he sure as hell isn’t a “hitter.”
?
!
Maybe he didn’t want to play for the Padres.
They might have offered him the same amount and he said no.
Angels media reported how well liked he was in the clubhouse and a leader rallying the team for contention. That veteran voice, leadership and playoff experience will be an attractive add at the deadline for a contender if he can even be decent.
I enjoyed having him a member of the Angels in 2023
IN CHICAGO!
White Sox fans have to work on their Moose call now.
Yep. White Sox have to get a miracle in the next 2 seasons.
As a White Sox fan, I have no hope. All the young guys Getz obtained have to be developed, and that area of baseball operations has been lacking in this organization for a while, something that he was head of for 8 years or however long he was in charge. Without an improved player development aspect this team is going to struggle with its rookies.
They could still try to be decent at best. I’m not saying that everyone needs career years.
My hope is Getz gets good first halves from Cease, Moncada and Jimenez, and peddle them hard come trade deadline. I hate to say it, but this team is in for another rebuild, problem is, it just got out of one. Just gotta hope for a brighter future!
It isn’t really a rebuild if you still have LRJ on the roster. He can still be on the next “good”WS team. They have no better options than him at CF. They haven’t showed signs of tearing down unlike 2017.
Robert is probably the most untouchable player they have. Long-term retool?
Getz would have to blown away for him to trade Robert, and rightfully so, he’s a beast. Offensively and defensively, plus he’s very young and very affordable.
I rather see a long term retool rather than a rebuild. I’m against rebuilds and was against the last one.
WS should have a nice opening day infield of Moose, Nicky Lopez, Whitfield and sign Hosmer for 1B.
Then play Glory Days when they take the field.
I highly doubt that he even makes the White Sox. Jimenez will be the DH most of the time and if not him Sheets probably. it’s more likely that he gets released on whatever day his Minor League deal runs out where they have to promote him or release him. Getz has a made a few decent signings but this seems to be a head scratcher to me.
As Getz is no longer directly responsible for player development, its already improved.
If the White Sox keep Cease and all goes well, 78 wins could keep them close enough to first place in that division to sell some hope to fans. A chance for just getting to the post season, and getting immediately blown out, would still be attractive to a beaten down fan base.
If the White Sox can get most players pulling in the same direction I can see them being a kind of sleeper underestimated etc. Talent important but Manager can help alot.For morale sake I think they need to get off to good start. CUBs on the rise so competition for local fan interest makes it more difficult Many decisions have to made about players to keep in the short term – Cease, Eloy, Robert, Moncada and more
Hiring Barfield who was a much better farm director in AZ to be Asst GM seems to be a self-aware acknowledgment by Getz. Position player development competence didn’t exist the last 20+ years. Step 1 teaching Colson Montgomery to be a good defensive SS in the minors or figure out where he is better suited.
I think he makes it over Sheets. Moose can be backup 1B/3B and get DH at bats. Sheets can only play 1B (I know, I know he played OF but should never again).
Your right.
Jimenez may not even be off the IL a majority of the season. He misses at least 2 months a season.
Woah, I didn’t think I’d see that name again.
Chicago ex-Royals is near completion
Yep lol
White Sox are still much better than the Royals. Underrated this year:
74 wins for CHW
70 wins for Trying to buy their way to 500 royals
Not buying that prediction Srry.
Nah, Royals got better this offseason, White Sox at best are a 68-win team.
True. I would be shocked if the white sox somehow become the underdogs of 2024. They’ve been underdogs before.
You’re high. Not a chance this Sox team wins 74 games. They won’t even win 64.
I’m not high lol. I still predict 60-66.
I love all these predictions from people don’t know what they talking about. I laugh at these foolish folks. Clearly White hating “Fans”
Kind of interesting w the lack of if depth this team has. You gotta figure Lopez is slated for 300+ ab right now 400 might push it so I’m not gonna get greedy. Mendicks your utility guy and I don’t see him challenging either. If moose can make the team out of the gate or early enough he might have a shot at eating a ton of those 4-500 split between Lopez and mendick I’d think.
They added lots of depth this off-season. Pls no more Gavin Sheets.
Just feels like the teams treating Vaughn as a porcelain doll and moncada as a bull rider. I just don’t see any mi depth.
Why? Where is Sheets going?
Don’t think they can afford to move sheets right now. Not sure if moose can bat his way and play enough defense at 2b still but it’s his clearest path back unless moncada moves over and I though I read he’s stick there all year.
A little surprised that Moustakas had to settle for a minor league deal. I would have preferred Moustakas over Hunter Dozier on a minor league deal for the Angels.
Probably had the clearest path for playing time, by signing with the Angels. Would’ve preferred him over hicks, and they could bring up marisnick if they had a injury in the outfield
I would prefer Hicks. His 126 OPS+ with the O’s was nearly double Moustakas’s 68 OPS+ with the Angels in virtually the same number of PAs. Moustakas slashed .236/.256/.371 with a 25% K% and 2% W% as an Angel. He is also among the slowest runners in MLB and is best suited to 1B and DH only.
I just don’t think angels need a fifth outfielder over a backup third baseman. Not because I don’t like hicks just the fact that rendon will be missing time at some point.
Imo Hicks will get full-time ABs as an OF and DH. I believe Moustakas is a 1B and DH and no longer capable of playing 3B. When Rendon inevitably goes down, unless there is a roster addition, I’m guessing Rengifo will get full-time ABs at 3B rather than as a super utility guy. Rengifo had a .950+ OPS over the final three months of the season and will be part of the mix despite the lack of love he gets on this site.
Hicks made sense, Trout will probably DH 2 or 3 games a week. Moniak the last 2 months of last season, couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. Adell is still a big question mark. But Adell, still has the opportunity to be better than Moniak. Ward will be the everyday RF. Moose would have made sense, in regards of so many questions in the infield. Especially when it comes to injuries
Damn, how many more minor league signings they got left?
Right?
About 115ish
Backup 3B for Moncada?
1B is all about Vaughn sink or swim, with Sheets as his backup.
Seems odd when you may want to see if a younger guy can contribute from the minors when injuries occur.
He can also play 2B too. I rather have him over Sheets tbh. The Moose is an offense upgrade over Sheets.
Nope
He did not too long ago.
3B Bryan Ramos is probably going to start the season in Charlotte, and if he does well there he will be up either after the Super Two cutoff or after the trade deadline. So Moustakas goes into the competition for the seventh infielder along with whoever is the backup SS and Sheets.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they move on from Sheets this spring.
Rather have him over Sheets.
I haven’t been paying attention to who they have brought in for the RF “competition.” Figure 4 OF, 6 IF, Eloy at DH, and 2 catchers.
I’m still half-expecting the corpse of Whit Merrifield to show up to play 2B/RF for 80 games to just reinforce that Royals magic.
They traded for Dom Fletcher and two prospects. An OF prospect and a pitching prospect and a bunch of depth signings. Adding depth shouldn’t be a bad thing even on a bad team.
Rather have Sheets over Vaughn
Sheets is even worse than Vaughn.
What a dumb take. People seem to forget how young Vaughn is and has increased his production every year even after having to be a sire thumb in outfield for a year. Thar absolutely hurt his development big time. In that time Sheets has regressed every year. You clearly not a White Sox fan if you hadn’t noticed that. Stick with your blundering Red Sox Theo
I don’t see a scenario where Sheets stays on the SOX 40-man roster, let alone the 26 player active roster. Getz’ focus on defense limits Sheets to 1B only (same for Vaughn). Not sure if the SOX brass would platoon Vaughn, he has to be given a chance to reach his potential.
Assuming Fletcher or/and DeLoach make the opening roster, the slate of veteran NRI OFs (Pillar, Ortega, Phillips, Payton) will be fighting for one bench spot at most. Stassi and Maldonado will share catching duties, leaving two IF bench spots, corner and middle. Moose left handed bat could play 2B/3B/1B, leaving Sheets’ 1B only versatility in the wind. They’ll all be jettisoned eventually anyhow when the kids at High minors advance, so hopefully Sheets is cut loose now to pick up somewhere. He at least deserves that courtesy given how he’s been misused.
Your absolutely correct.
Wanted him back on the Angels
Certainly exciting to see people make many millions of dollars who do not perform to the level they’re being paid for
Your not wrong.
Welcome to modern society.
CM
“Certainly exciting to see people make many millions of dollars who do not perform to the level they’re being paid for”
Counterpoint: they are being paid commensurate with their skills
Seems like Getz is bringing in as many of his old still active teammates he can find.
Moose had a decent run with the Angels last season and probably could make the team as 3B/1B/DH option
He’s signing ex royals and minor league deals but on crack though.
Minors is a little disrespectful
Completely unsurprised the White Sox signed him. Only surprised it took this long.
Lol. I hope he does well.
Doubt that the Moose has much left. He’s plodded along well below bWAR replacement level for 2020-23. But it’s not like he’s gonna break the bank and the Sox aren’t taking much risk.
I would be shocked if the Moose breaks the bank. He’s a corner infielder and depth piece at best.
Moose has tucked away almost $100 million in his career. So he’s broken a few banks along the way, but his bank-busting days are probably long behind him. I wish him well but I’m not holding my breath for a late-career comeback.
The Chicago Royals!
Does Eric Hosmer have a gig yet for 2024?
Zack Greinke and Whitt Merrifield are still available as a free agents. SP and 2B are positions of need on the White Sox roster. Just saying.
Your not wrong. Honestly I don’t mind Zack Grienke. Whit absolutely not. They have Nicky Lopez at 2B and better than Whit.
Whit Merrifield is a superior hitter to Nicky Lopez. He’s also a decent defensive 2B who can play in the OF when needed.
Lopez is better suited as a utility infielder. As a lefty hitter he could get ample playing time sharing SS with right-handed hitting Paul DeJong, at least until Colson Montgomery is ready for prime time.
Whit has negative value offensively and is a worst defender than Lopez. I rather have Dom in RF than Whit in both 2B and RF.
Might as well get Hosmer too!!! This White Sox roster is really shaping up nicely.
Getz obviously knows ‘The Royal Way’.
Indeed he does.
Michael Taylor might get offended.
Lopez has had one season, back in 2021, that favored comparably with Merrifield on offense.
Merrifield’s best defensive position is 2B and that’s where he would start with the White Sox. His bat plays best at the keystone based on his career numbers AND those produced last season. Aside from 2021, Lopez is the hitter with negative offensive value at 2B, not Merrifield.
Lopez has a fine glove. So did Yolmer (don’t call me Carlos anymore) Sanchez when he won a Gold Glove at 2B for the White Sox back in 2019. Neither hit enough to warrant regular playing time but their defense and versatility is valued in a utility role.
As things stand now, Paul DeJong and Lopez are at the top of the White Sox depth chart at SS and 2B respectively. Mike Moustakas has a decent shot at earning a backup role at the infield corners and DH. Kevin Pillar looks to be the White Sox 4th outfielder. Each one of them figures to be flip candidates by the summer trade deadline if the White Sox fail to be relevant in the AL Central race as expected. Their ultimate 2024 fate also rests with the development of Colson Montgomery, Bryan Ramos, Jose Rodriguez, Oscar Colas and whoever loses the RF job in spring training between recently acquired Dominic Fletcher and Zach DeLoach at AAA Charlotte.
Merrifield would be a nice addition for a few reasons:
– He has a proven track record of hitting at the top of the lineup (Lopez can only bat 8th or 9th).
– He can adequately fill in LF or RF.
– He has always seemed to be a tough clutch out.
Getting White Sox signing a past his prime Justin Morneau vibes. Kenny, are you still there?
Nope lol. Some people saying White Sox have a long shot of winning in a weak division. But as long as the ALC is weak they have a chance for a miracle on the SS.
The MoistKiss is back! Well, he will be. With that lineup, the ChiSox can surely utilize him. He was good with Colorado, and ok in spurts with the Angels last year–I think that final line is a tad misleading. Am I wrong, Angels fans? As a fantasy player I played him a few times during that Anaheim run.
He’s been below average hitter since 2020. But then again WS need bats and offense especially LHH.
I bet Moustinkus has at least 150 ABs for the south side royals. Hosmer thinking you’re telling me there’s a chance.
By all accounts he was loved in our clubhouse. His joy of playing the game and enthusiasm are evident.
If he can still play, that’s great for a young club.
This should really help…in the event that the other cheap and flawed infielders fail to produce.
And the beat goes on- Winker, Garrett, Casali, and now Moose. Former Reds on minor league deals.
CWS hopes a couple of these recycled veterans look good in Spring Training so you can flip a couple for some 19 year old prospects.